EDMOND, Okla. (July 10, 2012) -- Texans with ties to the University of Oklahoma found things to their liking during the first round of the 109th Trans-Mississippi Championship, presented by TaylorMade-Adidas Golf, at Oak Tree National in Edmond, Okla. Riley Pumphrey of Georgetown Texas, a member at Oak Tree, fired a 4-under 67 in good scoring conditions to share the lead after the opening round of the 72-hole, stroke play event. Pumphrey, who finished up his golfing career at the Oklahoma this spring, had a 3-under 32 on Oak Tree’s back side, his opening nine of the day. He had four birdies on that side to offset a lone bogey at No. 13 and added a pair of birdies on the front side during a morning round.

Joining him at 4-under was McKinney, Texas high schooler Brad Dalke. Fourteen-year-old Dalke, whose father played linebacker for the Sooners and who has already committed to OU, also had a 3-under 32 on Oak Tree’s back nine. His made three birdies and no bogeys to lead the afternoon wave. Dalke then had three birdies and two bogeys in a front-nine 35.

The second round of the 2012 Championship will be conducted Wednesday at Oak Tree with a cut to the low 60 players and ties. The third and fourth rounds are scheduled for Thursday.

ABOUT THE Trans-Miss Championship

The Trans-Miss is one of the oldest and
most storied golf tournaments in the United
States.
For 106 years the championship
was played in a match play format.
Past champions include Jack Nicklaus (1958
and 1959), Charles Coe (1947, 1949, 1952 and
1956), Deane Beman (1960), George Archer
(1963), Ben Crenshaw (1972), Gary Koch
(1973), Bob Tway (1978), Mark Brooks (1978)
and other professional tour notables. In
1987 the championship was changed to a mid-
amateur age requirement, and a senior division
was also added. Starting in 2010, the Trans-
Mississippi Championship, returned to its roots
as an
open amateur tournament, and immediately
established itself as a "must-play" among
top collegiate and mid-am players, while
changing to
a 72-hole stroke play format. The field size
starrts at
144 players from Trans-
Mississippi Golf Association member clubs (or
players receiving a special invitation from the
Championship Committee). After 36 holes, a cut
is
made to the low 54 and ties who play the final
two
rounds.